We were kindly asked by our Irish peeps to record a couple of covers for the Love, Colin project. When you take a tune with 80s or 90s production, and then strip it down to a folksier place, you can see how the song is the thing, and endures the ages. Delighted to take part in honouring Colin and his music…more where this came from we are sure xocvm+reido
Colin Vearncombe – aka Black (May 26 1962 – Jan 26 2016)
Born in Liverpool, and ended his days in Schull, Colin had three top-ten records across Europe and sold over two million albums before leaving the mainstream and going independent. He released a string of albums as Black and under his own name on his own label; Nero Schwarz. Colin was involved in a car crash, near Cork Airport in Ireland, and placed in a medically induced coma after sustaining serious head injuries. He never regained consciousness and died from his injuries at the intensive care unit of Cork University Hospital at the age of 53. He left a widow, Swedish opera singer and former One 2 Many singer Camilla Griehsel, and three children. His legacy lives on in the Love, Colin project.
THIS IS LIFE
‘THIS IS LIFE’ from the self titled album BLACK, Written by Colin Vearncombe, recorded at home and performed by Reid Jamieson & CVM, produced by Carolyn Victoria Mill, mastered by Michael Holland. This recording would not be possible without inspiration & initiative from Marc McDonald at Interference Archive, and Colin’s talented wife Camilla Griehsel. A very timely tune we would wholeheartedly agree. With love from Canada to Ireland xo
(video includes some footage we took driiving around Ireland when making our record Me Daza – no idea exactly where – so tell us if you know!)
THIS IS LIFE
If your lonely heart is aching, Think you can’t take anymore,
You have to cup your hands, to keep the light.
I will lean across your shoulder, And whisper in your ear – that this is life.
If you’re old enough to face it, You are old enough to fake it,
To get what you desire and still ask why.
Then I’ll tap you on the shoulder, and whisper in your ear – that this is life.
This is what you struggled for, No reprisals, no resistance – this is life.
Can you answer me a question, Have you lain awake at night?
The blinds undrawn, the ceiling streaked with light.
You feel tired but you can’t sleep, feel so hungry you can’t eat- well – this is life.
Has your courage seemed to fail you, As you take your chosen path?
You pass a camel through a needle’s eye.
Cut up in tiny little pieces, and you’ve learnt the major rule – that this is life.
This is what you waited for, No rehearsals, no more stalling – this is life.
Have it tattooed on the inside of your pink and sleepy eyelids – this is life.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder…
Grow more foolish… than we can ever guess.
You feel your nerve ends slowly coiling
And you hope the answer’s “no” – the answer’s “yes”.
This is what you struggled for, No reprisals, no resistance – this is life.
This is what you waited for, No rehearsals, no more stalling – this is life.
If you can’t do what you ought, Lead by example, don’t get caught – yeah this is life.
STONE SOUP
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‘STONE SOUP’ Written by Colin Vearncombe & Calum MacColl. Recorded at home, performed by Reid Jamieson. Produced by Carolyn Mill. Released July 2021
Long on lonely nights. And wishing them over
With a short run To the next one…
These are magical lives we get to try We get to run
But are we enchanted…no?
Then change, All that I should leave behind
I change. With everything else I wont do
Too long marking time, Living on stone soup
Can I do What I have to?
Then change, All that I should leave behind
I change. With everything else I wont do
What I don’t know of is What I must let go of;
All that I should leave behind
I will change (what I must let go of)
All that I should leave behind I will change (Every kiss you receive after this one)
With everything else I wont do
Long on lonely nights, and wishing them over
REID JAMIESON & CVM
